


Big and Small Victories

by ghikij



Series: Bang Dream ABO AU [5]
Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Alpha/Beta, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - A/B/O, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Animal Traits, F/F, Kemonomimi, Modern Society, Omegaverse, Read the series summary for details, just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:07:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23079838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghikij/pseuds/ghikij
Summary: A day in the life of Udagawa Ako and her mate, Shirokane Rinko. Although, it's really not a typical day, isn't it? Regardless, Ako is determined to make the most of her winning hand at life. She has a beautiful mate, a career that continues to climb unknown heights, and a sister who she will forever idolize.Yep. Ako definitely considers herself lucky.
Relationships: Hazawa Tsugumi/Hikawa Sayo (mentioned), Shirokane Rinko/Udagawa Ako, Udagawa Tomoe/Uehara Himari
Series: Bang Dream ABO AU [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1636909
Comments: 4
Kudos: 75





	Big and Small Victories

**Author's Note:**

> Please refer to the summary of the series for more details about this series. 
> 
> This entry takes place after [Same as Always]. Although, it is not necessary to read that in order to understand this.

“Yatta!” Udagawa Ako threw both of her arms into the air in triumph. After spending forty or so hours grinding and many deaths, Ako finally defeated the new siege boss of NFO with her trusty guild of twenty members. The monster was a large dragon with three horns and an ungodly amount of health points! The developers were really brutal giving that thing 80,000 HP and AoE attacks that could easily wipe out a whole guild! Ako spent days perfecting her build for maximum “deeps” (or DPS, damage per second), until her reanimated minions were dealing three-digit damage. Multiply that with her capacity to summon fifty of them at the same time, Ako summoned her and the guild's way to victory!

Her grin grew wider as she exchanged victory emoticons with her guild members, who repeatedly thanked her for carrying the team. In response, she ensured the Ebon Witch shall join them for their next attempt, increasing their DPS even more. Many of the guild members flailed, their characters dancing cartoonishly in celebration, while some were announcing the legendary-tier equipment they received.

Speaking of which, Ako couldn’t contain her excitement when she appraised her loot. She jumped off her black-and-purple gaming chair and howled like a lunatic. “I GOT IT! Rinrin!!!” The Eurasian Wolf ran out of the gaming room in search of her mate, who had decided to rest from gaming a few hours ago. Thinking that Rinko might be napping, Ako hurried to their condominium’s living room. Rinko bought a reclining chair a few weeks ago and she had taken to knitting and dozing off on it, but Ako found it empty. She checked the kitchen next. Maybe Rinko has decided to make snacks, but their pristine kitchen was dark.

“Rinrin~ I gotta show you something!” Ako barked before high-tailing it to their shared bedroom at the other end of the hall. Opening the door, the Wolf wagged her tail, “Rinrin! You wouldn’t guess what happened! Rinrin?” The bedroom was empty too besides the sunlight shining through their curtain windows.

“Ako-chan? I’m… in the bath…”

The Wolf’s pierced ears perked at the sound of her mate’s voice. Grinning ear-to-ear, she opened the bathroom door and found Rinko soaking in the tub covered up to her shoulders with bubbles. “Guess what?” She wasted no time sitting on the edge of the bathtub, not caring that her pajama pants became damp.

“Were you able to… defeat it?” Rinko tilted her head. “It’s a very… difficult monster… I had to take a break.”

“Aww, taking a break is part of the battle, Rinrin, but yes, we managed to slay it. Aaaaand~” The proud Wolf pulled out her phone and opened her NFO app. “I got the Devil’s Stick!” Currently, it is the most powerful Necromancer weapon in the game meta. Ako still couldn’t believe her luck.

Rinko gasped quietly and smiled, “You got exactly...what you wanted, Ako-chan.”

“RNG has decided to cooperate with the Demon Queen of the Abyss!”

“That’s great, Ako-chan… this way… the next time we fight Detale the Demon Lord… he would be… no match.”

Ako’s tail continued to wag fervently as she was not done showing her mate the treasures she had earned. “I got something for you too, Rinrin. It’s not the Staff of the Vicious Mind but, take a look.” She swiped her finger to reveal the legendary-tier buckler she got as loot. “I know you use more two-handed staffs and staves, Rinrin, do you think it’ll be of any use?”

Rinko wiped her sudsy hands on a nearby towel and carefully looked at the stats of the buckler. “This is… amazing… the bonus stats it gives; 35% defense, 20% additional damage on elemental attacks, and a gem slot of customization.”

Ako blinked and shifted closer to her mate so she would be able to see the specs as well. “Wow, that seems overpowered now that you say it aloud.”

The Tigress nodded and smiled, “I may be able to work out a build with this. Perhaps… I will finally be able to use the Walpurgisnacht. Remember? The book of sorcery we got from Gremory from the last event. It’s a one-handed weapon and when combined with the World Eater’s Plate… it might be more powerful than my current build. You’ll give it to me?”

“Of course!” Ako exclaimed decidedly, for she would give anything to her mate. “I’d let you try the Devil’s Stick but it’s class locked. But, wow, to be able to use the Walpurgisnacht! With my Devil’s Stick we would be unstoppable! We might even be able to defeat Nidhogg in fewer siege laps!”

The Tigress returned her phone, looking more determined and motivated to slay the World Serpent. “I won’t miss our next victory.”

“Yeah, you have to be there! I told the guild that you had to take a break, but a hot bath in the middle of the afternoon? Is everything alright, Rinrin?” Ako placed her phone on top of a shelf where it would be safe. She definitely didn’t want to drop another phone after she accidentally dropped one into the river back in high school.

“I’m… okay…” Rinko reassured her, her dark striped tail peeking from under the bath bubbles as the Tigress swished it underwater. “My back… it became stiff after...sitting for so long. I thought a warm bath would help relieve it.”

Ako frowned, disliking the thought of her beloved mate in any sort of discomfort. “Your shoulders do look a bit wound up. I’m sorry for making you play for hours on end, Rinrin. Would you like a massage after your bath?” Worried, the attentive Wolf leaned over and kissed her mate’s forehead, just under the towel Rinko used to tie her long hair up.

“That… sounds very nice, Ako-chan. I would like that...tonight but after my bath… do you want to go shopping with me?” Rinko smiled at her beseechingly. How could she refuse?

“Sure!” Ako happily dropped to her knees so that she would be on eye-level with Rinko. “Where do you want to go?”

“Um… I would like to replenish my knitting supplies and buy some provisions; food and drinks.” The Tigress played with the bubbles that tantalizingly covered her bosom with long, lithe fingers. “Our… all-nighters have… depleted… the inventory.”

The Wolf chuckled sheepishly, “Oh no, we must have more items, I gotcha! I’ll be more than happy to join you then. Hehe, talking about getting food kind of made me hungry. Why don’t we get something to eat while we’re out too?”

Her mate fondly pinched her cheek, “I’d love that. Just give me a few more minutes and I’ll get ready, Ako-chan.”

“Aww, and leave me alone?” Ako smooched her mate’s cheek, her tail wagging non-stop.

“Hm? What do you mean?” Rinko’s confused expression morphed into a rosy blush when Ako took off her pajama shirt, revealing her cool and badass Roselia-themed tattoos. Ako could still recall her mate’s apprehensions when she requested the designs during the middle of her sophomore year in college, but now the Tigress gazes at her tattoos like they were her own Mark on her Alpha.

The Wolf loves that expression on her and adores the feeling that she belonged to her mate as well.

It only took seconds for Ako to shed her clothes and step into the warm, bubbly water of the bath. Giggling, she crawled over to her mate peppered her face with innocuous enough kisses, although her calloused hand slipped around Rinko’s back to pull her closer. The Tigress giggled quietly against her mouth.

“Ako-chan…”

“I’m sorry, Rinrin, I couldn’t resist.” Ako nuzzled Rinko’s jaw and made rumbling noises in her throat. She pressed herself closer to her mate, who lovingly welcomed her into her soapy arms. Rinko chuffed softly. As a Tigress, she doesn’t truly purr, but her quiet chuffs and murrs are so cute that Ako couldn’t help but wag her tail happily. “I always want to hold you!”

“M-Me too, Ako-chan,” Rinko shivered slightly when Ako kissed the mating Mark on the base of her neck. “But… we won’t...be able to… go out if we… start this now.”

Despite the Tigress’s reluctance, Ako noticed that her mate had already coiled her tail around one of her thighs. “Don’t worry, Rinrin. I just want to cuddle you.” She embraced Rinko, pressing her lips onto her Mark and nipping softly.

Even after all this time, Ako felt proud of the Mark she had left on her mate. As a teenager, she had heard lectures from Alpha mentors to take great care in marking their future mates because the Mark would be on their skin for the rest of their lives. Like in any awkward sex education class, the young Alphas of her year were made to practice on this important privilege by biting apples. Many of her peers stopped after the first bite, too mortified at the thought of such a mundane fruit bearing their indentations. However, Ako took the lesson seriously and even practiced after she and Rinko promised themselves to each other. She did not want her mate to have a jaggled, ugly Mark at all! And so, when the time finally came a few years later, Ako left a clean Mark that Rinko would never be embarrassed of.

Satisfied that she had properly scent-marked her mate, Ako turned around and sank into the water with her back resting against her mate’s softness. She sighed contentedly and rubbed sudsy water on Rinko’s knees in a circular pattern.

“This is nice… isn’t it?” Rinko wrapped an arm around Ako’s shoulder, scooping water to bathe her mate’s body.

Ako hummed, her tail wagging languidly underwater, “Uh huh, I just wish the bathtub’s a bit bigger.” Indeed, a good portion of her legs was hanging off the edge of the tub. She tried crossing them over each other under the bathwater but that only squished Rinko’s legs, so she returned them to where they were dripping water on the bathroom floor.

The two of them chuckled at their slight misfortune but quickly resumed enjoying each other’s company.

After an hour, the couple was out of the door with Rinko double-checking that their home was properly locked. Walking hand-in-hand, they make for an uncanny pair. Ako was wearing a deep red skirt and knee-high shell boots, matched with a fur-lined leather jacket and a high ponytail that truly gave away her rockstar occupation. She made heads turn with her silver jewelry, piercings and many leather belts, though not all the attention was positive. Meanwhile, Rinko dressed simply in a pale blue collared shirt underneath a grey overall dress. On her feet was a pair of simple loafers of fine quality. She even has a ribbon tied around her neck, which Ako always thinks is super cute on her. Under her arm was a purse with a small black keyboard keychain hanging off the zipper.

They definitely do not match in image, but Ako did not quite care.

However, she started somewhat caring when people began to stare at them. Did they recognize her and Rinko as band members of Roselia? That is super cool but it also will not do. Ako recalls Lisa sighing when they went out for a cup of coffee a couple of weeks back, saying it was becoming harder and harder to simply go out to the music store with Yukina anymore. The White Cougar stood out from the crowd so much that it did not take long for fans to recognize her. The more Roselia grows in popularity, the more they should prepare to lose their anonymity in the crowd.

As they boarded the train, Ako untied her hair and pulled up the hood of her jacket. Her purple hair was a dead giveaway after all. There are not a lot of celebrities with pelage of the same color. Well, her tail is purple too, but that cannot be helped. Luckily, they managed to find seats, where they would be comfortable.

“Ako-chan, is everything alright?” Rinko glanced at her worriedly and interlaced their fingers. “You seem… nervous.”

“Not at all, Rinrin!” Ako gave her a reassuring grin, “I just don’t want anyone recognizing us so we can shop as much as we like! You remember what Lisa-nee said, right?”

Her mate frowned as she recalled Lisa’s woes. “I don’t think that… we would be recognized so easily. Yukina-san is our lead vocalist… the face of Roselia. It isn’t surprising that… people would recognize her.”

“I guess so, but I really like going out with you like this, Rinrin. Putting my hood up isn’t a big deal.” She gave Rinko’s hand a reassuring squeeze. Maybe she was just worrying over nothing, especially since being Roselia’s drummer has not really affected her campus life whatsoever. However, Ako would err on the side of caution for now, at least until they were at a less crowded place.

They reached the handicrafts store with only so much as a few stares, and as soon as they entered the store’s premises they became nothing more than a couple of weird artists or cosplayers to the people around them. Still, Ako did not remove her hood and wandered in the general vicinity Rinko pushed her small cart to. “What did you have in mind, Rinrin?” She asked the Tigress, steadily feeling more relaxed at the familiar sight of Rinko surrounded by textiles and sewing materials.

“I only needed some yarn...and thread but…” The keyboardist touched a bolt silvery purple fabric on display. The textile is shiny and its color is somewhere between mauve and silver, or at least Ako thought so. She is not as attuned to hues and tints and shades as her mate was, but she definitely thought it was pretty. “This color… it would be perfect… for my new… costume design. Don’t you think, Ako-chan?”

The Wolf tilted her head. She has seen Rinko’s new doodles but she is not quite sure of Rinko’s vision. Her mate is a true artist in many respects, so much so that there were times when Ako did not know how to respond when asked for her opinion. As far as she was concerned, anything Rinko makes is awesome. Anything. She tells her as much, but the Tigress does not seem satisfied.

“Maybe we can keep looking around?” The Wolf shrugs helplessly when her mate frowned.

Rinko’s eyes scanned the aisle, her black tail’s tip flicking contemplatively as her gaze took in every available bolt of silk, cotton, and wool. Ako did not know what she was looking for, but she was quickly distracted by the coolest shade of purple she has ever seen. The silken fabric is not quite grape in color but it is not sullen like wine purple would be. It was striking but not too loud, despite it screaming total High Warlock vibes to Ako. Maybe it was time to use those extra in-game vouchers to change her character’s color scheme.

“That is not a bad color,” Rinko mused after returning to the Wolf’s side. “Do you… like it?”

“A little bit,” Ako’s grin and wagging tail were embarrassing giveaways to her opinion about the cloth. “It reminds me of my character’s cape a little bit.”

“You have… a good eye, you know?” Rinko checked the tag attached to the bolt and listed the serial number using her phone. She then took a picture of the cloth. “Byzantium…”

“Ooo, sounds like a fancy fantasy material, Rinrin. Are you going to use it? If you’re going to just because I like it… um… I just think that whatever your instincts decide would be better? I mean, you don’t have to.” The Wolf’s ears flattened against her head when she realized that she was rambling, not that Rinko could see it due to her hood.

“No… I like it too.” The Tigress touched her shoulder to her mate’s, reassuring her. “It makes me happy… to use things you like, Ako-chan. I can make costume adornments in that color.”

“Rinrin, are you sure?”

“Mhmm… very sure.” Rinko turned towards her with the angriest, most disappointed expression she could muster without completely erupting into giggles. “Do you not trust the Ebon Witch’s decision?”

Ako gaped in mock slight, “I would never go against the Duchess of the Underworld!”

Rinko could no longer hold her laughter and she pulled Ako by the rim of her hood to kiss her nose. “Good. Ako-chan… remember that I also like it when you… share your opinions about how our costumes should… look like. It’s not… always easy to come up… with everything by myself. I would appreciate it… if you share more.”

“Okay.” Ako realized that she should stop thinking that Rinko may be displeased about anything and everything she does, like an insecure middle schooler.. They were mates and Rinko loved her just as much as she did.

“So, are you buying the entire bolt? It’ll be a great workout to carry those around town.”

“N-no, I won’t make you do that. I can just… order the textile online to have it delivered. I only want to pick up the smaller items today…”

“Okay, if you say so, Rinrin. So, yarn and thread, right?” Ako took the cart from her mate so she would be able to peruse the aisles better.

Rinko seemed to appreciate this greatly, smiling at her demurely. “Yes, just yarn and thread.”

The couple exited the handicrafts store with Rinko’s purse stuffed with the small knick knacks and embroidery materials she purchased. Ako offered to carry the bag for her but Rinko only slipped an arm around the Wolf’s so they could walk holding each other’s hand. It was times like these that make Ako feel like the luckiest gal in the world.

“I’ve worked up an appetite, Rinrin, how about you?” They were strolling downtown now and the scenery reminded Ako so much of their hometown. There was a bakery across the street that perfumed the air with the sweet smell of custard. Meanwhile several food stalls and booths were lined up just ahead of them, each and every one selling food that are both familiar and foreign to Ako and Rinko. There was a taiyaki stand to their left, but there was also a gyros shop across the street. Being bigger, the metropolis they currently reside in offered not just to typical Japanese fare but also from all around the world.

However, being surrounded by the unfamiliar only made Ako miss the city where she grew up in. In their hometown, the Kitazawa Meat Shop was famous for their croquettes and other street food items. Just thinking about the crunchy fried exterior and the tasty and hot filling made Ako’s stomach growl. She used to buy bags of croquettes from Hagumi and share it with Tomoe and the girls of Afterglow. Now, she wished she could just grab a bag and stuff herself.

“There are so… many choices.”

“Is there anything you’re craving for?” Ako asked absently, momentarily distracted by the sizzling takoyaki being prepared in a stall as they passed.

“Um… something… hot.” Her mate’s line of vision pointed at a tea house, which was next to a cafe. Of course this made it hard to guess what she really wanted. Rinko loved hot milk so maybe she wanted to go into the cafe, but Ako knew there are yummy offerings at the tea house too.

“Ako?”

The Wolf’s ears perked up at the familiar voice. By the time she turned around though, a strong arm looped around her neck. “I knew it was you! I didn’t expect you to be here!”

“Ack! Onee-chan?!” Ako ducked under her big sister’s grip and pushed her hoodie down. “Onee-chan!” Udagawa Tomoe nearly fell back at the force her sister tackled her with but she laughed all the same. “I haven’t seen you in a long time! You didn’t make it when we were supposed to visit mom and dad!” They always kept in contact via text or chat but Ako definitely preferred seeing her sister in person.

“Yeah, that was my bad, I’m sorry. Work practically had me chained to my drumset. I told you as much, yeah?” Tomoe’s fanged grin has not changed and it always made Ako feel like a five-year-old endlessly idolizing her big sis. Her tail would not stop wagging and her face seemed frozen in a face-splitting smile but it was great to see Tomoe. “Ah, it’s great to see you too, Rinko-san!”

Rinko was also enveloped in a hug by Tomoe, which made Ako even happier. Seeing her mate being greeted so warmly by her sister truly showed that Rinko was a part of her pack now. The Tigress chuckled and gingerly returned the hug, blushing a bit because she was not used to being in such close proximity to anyone but Roselia members. “Likewise, Tomoe-san. This is indeed a wonderful surprise.”

“Yeah, Onee-chan! What brings you around these parts?”

Tomoe scratched the back of her and laughed sheepishly, “Uh… food? Well, I’m here with Himari. She’s in that cafe interviewing the owner. Seems like that joint is getting popular on SNS for their pretty breakfast items and what not. I don’t know much so it’s better to ask her later. Anyway, the interview dragged on for over an hour and I got bored waiting so… heh, was thinking of grabbing some grub. What about you guys?”

“Rinrin and I just went shopping a bit and were thinking of getting food too! Why don’t you join us, Onee-chan?”

“Oh! Yeah, that sounds great! We outta catch up! Although… will that be okay? I won’t get trampled by adoring fans or anything?” Tomoe elbowed her little sister teasingly, which Ako playfully nudged away.

“I… do not think that will… a problem, Tomoe-san. We’d love to… have you join us.”

“Well then! Lemme just message Himari real quick and--”

“Hold it right there! You guys aren’t gonna leave me here. I’m coming along!” Uehara Himari panted as she joined them after having apparently jogged from the cafe. She wasted no time in hugging Ako, who happily picked up her big sister’s girlfriend.

“Hii-chan!” The younger Wolf gave her friend a tight squeeze before setting her down.

“Mou! Just because you grew taller, you toss me around like Tomoe does.”

“Haha! You finally finished the interview, Himari?” Tomoe placated her huffy girlfriend by wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “That took a while.”

“You tell me,” Himari crossed her arms over her chest and puffed her cheek. “That guy keeps talking in circles! I mean, the food they serve does look amazing but the owner was far more interested in talking about himself than the food, which by the way was the reason I interviewed him in the first place.”

“Maa maa maybe he’s just really proud of his shop. Tsugu’s dad is like that sometimes too.”

“I guess, but Tsugu’s dad is far cooler than this guy. I think I wasted several pages of my notebook on useless quotes from him.” Himari pouted again and huffed, “ To~mo~e~ I’m gonna need something sweet before I sit down and actually write this article.”

“Then let’s get some grub, right Ako?”

“Yeah!”

Himari pumped her fist up along with the Udagawas, only to chuckle in embarrassment when she heard Rinko’s fond giggle. “A-ah, haha~ sorry if I’m being too loud, Rinko-san.”

The Tigress shook her head while smiling, “I’m happy to see you three reunited. This is becoming a rarer occurrence.”

“I know~” Himari whined, “Adulting is hard! Ako, would you believe that we don’t see each other as often now too? What with Ran becoming more and more involved in her career, Moca being more and more a hermit, and Tsugu still in school? We were inseparable! Boo, I want to be a high schooler again but that’s just me. You, on the other hand, wow! Roselia is sky-rocketing, right? What am I doing… I could be interviewing the trendsetters of indie rock, not some egotistic cafe owner!”

“Ahaha, there she goes again. We really have to get her something sweet soon. But! We gotta have full bellies too. So, ramen?”

Ako laughed heartily, expecting that from her sister. “That sounds great in my book. Will that be okay, Rinrin?” She took her mate’s hand and interlaced their fingers.

Rinko’s lips curved upward as she leaned her head against Ako’s shoulder. “We haven’t had… a good bowl of ramen for a while.”

“Gosh darn it, why are you two so cute?!” Himari gushed, her floppy ears bouncing as she expressed her obvious desire to squish Ako and Rinko together. “Oh, speaking of cute, I have a ton of questions about Sayo-san.”

“Oh no…” Tomoe sighed, “Himari, you can grill’em about Sayo-san when we’re at the ramen shop or we’ll never get off the sidewalk.”

“Don’t pretend you don’t wanna know stuff about Sayo-san too, Tomoe!”

“Hai, hai.”

Ako tilted her head in confusion. “Sayo-san? What about Sayo-san?”

Tomoe shrugged, “Truthfully, it’s more about Tsugu than Sayo-san.”

“Oh~” Ako and Rinko reacted to the other couple’s curiosity at the same time. “We were a bit confused about that at some point too, right Rinrin?”

“Well… I have sort of known for a while… I’m sorry, Ako-chan.”

“Eeeh? Really and you never told me. Aww, Rinrin~” Ako pouted, although she was not at all surprised that her mate knew more than she did. Rinko was observant and she knew how to keep secrets, so if Sayo was unprepared to share that part of her personal life to her close friends, the Tigress would never divulge anything, even to her mate.

“Wow, so we really do have a lot to gossip about!” The sparkle in Himari’s eyes was a bit worrisome since Ako knew that that was the spark of interest from her inner journalist. “Not really gossip… we just want to make sure that Sayo-san will be good for our Tsugu.”

“Hear, hear!” Tomoe seconded. “So, let’s get moving everyone.”

Himari excitedly tugged Rinko’s arm and chattered endlessly as they walked. The Lop was definitely in her journalist mode now; her questions precise and specific. Thankfully, she was asking Rinko about Roselia and not Sayo per se, although Ako was sure Himari would get to the point when they are seated at the table.

Tomoe nudged her shoulder, gesturing that they follow the wonderful ladies in their lives. “They’re a sight for sore eyes, I know, but we gotta eat too y’know?”

Ako laughed and skipped forward, “Got it. It’s just really nice to be together for once. We really need to do this more often, Onee-chan.”

Her older sister folded her arms behind her head and playfully snorted, “Says the busy college student who spends her vacation as a rockstar all around the country. Ako, you know where to find me and I’ll always be there for you, okay? Most of the time, I’m just waiting for you to call.”

“Aww but Onee-chan, I’m worried you’re so busy. Mom said you’re thinking of running for office in our district in the future. You must have your hands full.”

“Hah! Now that would be a huge victory, wouldn’t it? But nah, I’m actually taking my time right now.” Ako glanced at her sister and found that Tomoe’s gaze has never left Himari. “The studio work is going well. I actually got an offer to play for a band, you know? But… well, I’m not sure. I guess I just have to move on. Even now I can’t imagine playing for anyone else but Afterglow, even though… y’know. The sun has set for us.”

Ako’s ears folded flat on her head. She knew how much Tomoe cherished her time with Afterglow. No, not just her. All the members of Afterglow wished their time had lasted longer. However, their life goals, wishes, and dreams were not as tied together as Roselia was. Tsugumi wished to study in order to be prepared for when she takes over Hazawa Coffee. Ran is still expected to take over her family school, even though she is still dragging her feet making a decision. Moca seems to be enjoying the beginnings of her graphic arts career too.

“Anyway, that’s just me, Ako. I get sentimental sometimes. Himari loves what she’s doing, no matter how much she complains. You gotta see her sometimes. She gets crazy whenever a famous online critic praises her work.” Tomoe chuckles as she scratches her cheek with a finger. “Just between you and me… I’m not sure what I really want to do yet, but I think I’ll be proposing to Himari soon.”

Ako’s jaw dropped but her big sister immediately sealed her mouth with a hand. “Shh! I’m telling you in advance because you’re my sister but if you blurt that out I will get mad at you.”

The younger Wolf started babbling a mile a minute but her voice only came out muffled and incomprehensible. She had to pry away Tomoe’s hand, “I’m so happy for you, Onee-chan!”

“Shh!!! Shush, Ako! And don’t congratulate me yet, I haven’t asked… hell, I haven’t even bought a ring yet.”

“Still! As if Hii-chan would say ‘no’.” Ako grinned devilishly, giddy about the news. Since her sister and Himari are an Alpha-Beta couple, they cannot form the same pair bond as Ako and Rinko. However, couples, no matter what their designation and primary sex, may marry to be legally recognized as mates. This was a huge step and Ako could not be any happier for them. “Wow, and I thought my loot box earlier was a big win. That’s nothing to gaining another sister!”

“Ako! I said hush! I swear I’ll--” Tomoe sighed and fondly ruffled Ako’s hair, tweaking one of her ears like she used to when they were pups.

“I promise, Onee-chan. Can you blame me for being super happy?”

“No, I guess not.” Tomoe smirked. “Thanks, Ako. It gives me confidence knowing my lil sis has my back.”

“Always, Onee-chan!”

“Ah, they must have entered the ramen shop already. C’mon, I’m so hungry I can probably eat three bowls of the stuff.”

Tomoe laughed as she jogged after Himari and Rinko, leaving Ako to catch up. She was still over the moon at the thought of her big sis getting married, not just to anyone but to Himari, who she adores so much too. They would be mates in everyone’s eyes and Ako could not wait for her sister to experience the joys of having a mate that she loves unconditionally like Ako loves Rinko.

Life is indeed a wonderful amalgamation of big and small victories.

**Author's Note:**

> Related artworks/concept arts can be found on my twitter @athyrabunlord under the tag #bandoriAU_ABO


End file.
